Ungluing Factory installed Engineers

[Old John]

Has anyone had any success removing factory glued Engineers from their cab floors without cutting them out? Anyway to "unbond" the glue?

[NarrowMinded]

to unbond the glue you would have to use solvent and it would soften the plastic everywhere it goes, not really a good idea.


You should be able to just work it back a forth until it comes loose if that doesn't work your best bet is to get a chisle blade exacto knife and just slide it under.

NM-Jeff

[Old John]

Jeff,

Thank you, your observations were what I thought, but I was hoping someone out there had a secret formula that would help me to remove a couple of figures from some LGB locomotives, Thank You for your response.

Old John

[Sleeping Bear]

  some hobby stores sell a de bonder for CA's and some times acetone can loosen the grip of a CA but it will most likely loosen the grip of what ever paint it touches as well. cant say for the results either way, have only used acetone to undo some super glue left behind by a previous owner.     Hope this is some help.....Later All....S.B.

[armorsmith]

Old John,

If you are talking about a manufacturers joint, it is most likely 'solvent welded' in the first place.  Most plastics are not 'glued' in the sense that most people think.  The joint is made tightly and a solvent applied to the joint.  The solvent will wick into the joint, and soften the two sides of the joint slightly allowing the two sides to meld together becoming one single piece.  As such, there is no real 'glue' to undo.

I have successfully cut this type of joint with a sharp Xacto knife using multiple slow light strokes. This usually only works where there is a bit of room to work.  Even then, there will be some distortion around where the cut is made.

A good fine tooth razor saw will also do the trick, but again there is a material loss where the saw cuts.

Unfortunately, I don't believe there is a 'magic bullet' for your problem.  Good Luck.

Bob C.

[Loco Bill Canelos]

On the figures in the streetcar, I was able to use a small flat blade screwdriver to pry the figures up.  The glue came up with the figures, and I was able to peel the glue off of them.

[Old John]

Again, Thank You All for your input,  I'll try the acetone first, and then just chisel away!

Thank You - Old John

[Old John]

ACETONE WORKED!   It can be used to remove engineers from LGB Cabs, thank you SLeeping Bear, and all of you for all your ideas, it was appreciated.

If anyone is going to remove engineers from LGB Cabs, paint the the bottom with acetone, requires several coats (and Don't let it Dry), then rock the engineer left or right, not forward or backward as this will break him off above the feet.  Now the next problem is getting the glue off the deck as acetone softens it but doesn't remove it.   Thanks again - Old John